Looks like Nikon will stop support for NX2 in the future and work on the new NXD software. It looks like the u-point technology is over that Google owns Nik now.

NXD is available for download and is in Beta and is looking for user feedback. Please help with all the feedback to help them build this program good.

I will miss Nx2.

No, if its Beta then its essentially finished Software, they will not be changing its design anymore. It will be better to have realistic expectations about this.

As I already wrote in another Post:

I've just had time to read all the comments from people who did install it and try it out, which were quite revealing (SILKYPIX) ...

I am not going to be testing this software because to me it looks like a major regression or de-evolution if you will. Nikon got it backwards. This does not look professional.

Instead I am using Darktable (Free and open Software) and it works for me, there is somewhat of a learning curve, but it does everything I need. It has drawn and parametric masks which work almost as well as u-points, while being a little more complex in their usage, drawn and parametric masks are extremely powerfull.

If Google rolls out a standalone Version of Nik Collection I would buy that.

Hi Stephan,

In some ways, the NIK Collection already is "standalone." While the NIK apps can't open unconverted RAW files, they can open TIFFs or JPEGs without any "front end" other than your operating system. If you're using a Mac, just drag the TIFF or JPEG you want to open onto the NIK app with which you'd like to edit, and voila! Alternatively, you can right-click the TIFF or JPEG you'd like to edit and select your NIK app of choice under the "Open With" menu.

You can use this strategy to streamline your workflow with many popular Lightroom / Aperture / Photoshop plugins--Totally Rad's wonderful "Rad Lab" color grading filters work the same way.

Since NIK Color Efex Pro 4 offers a complete, full-featured Levels and Curves editor, you could just perform all of your post-conversion editing right inside the app.